


A Witch's Familiar

by AnontheNullifier



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Some Fluff, Vision babysits said cat, Wanda finds a bastard cat, feelings are had by all, somewhat of a crack fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-24 01:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8350711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnontheNullifier/pseuds/AnontheNullifier
Summary: When Wanda finds a stray cat, she decides to bring it into the compound claiming he is a "big softie." But after a disastrous evening, Steve orders her to get rid of it.  Instead of following orders, however, she employs Vision's help in keeping the cat a secret from the team.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I think this story came from stress, sleep deprivation, and my annual re-reading of the Witches subseries of Discworld. You don't actually have to know anything about Discworld to read the story. But if you do happen to also be in that fandom, I hope you enjoy Greebo meeting his match. 
> 
> To everyone, regardless of fandom, hope you all enjoy!

Vision is reading on the couch when the commotion starts. The sound echoes through the compound with stunning precision, thanks to the highly conductive material and open angles, and allows him to pinpoint the voices to the garage entrance.

“What is that?! You can’t bring that in here.” He determines it best to ignore the noise, this same argument has been had numerous times and covers a vast array of things such as mud, food, people, and the last time was a goat. It is only when Wanda’s voice drifts up that he perks to attention. “But he has nowhere else to go. Please just one night at least?”

Curiosity lifts him from the couch and leads him into the kitchen, where Sam is frozen, fork lifted halfway to his mouth, also entranced by the commotion. “What do you believe is the problem?”

“I don't know, kinda hoping it's another goat.”

Before Vision can further delve into the reasoning of such an odd hope, Steve walks into the room, body swaying with the looseness of annoyed defeat. Then comes Wanda, a grin on her face that Vision feels his own facial muscles responding to, until he looks at her arms and confusion pulls his mouth down. It is some sort of animal, with gray, matted fur rippling around numerous scars of long healed battle wounds. When the thing lifts its head, Sam curses and backs away. One eye is green and the other a clouded, milky white. Most disturbing is the way its mouth is pulled back into a sinister grin. Vision cannot help but step closer, “What is it?”

“Oh just an adorable little kitty.” Wanda scratches the cat behind what Vision assumes is an ear. There must be something that he is missing because all the pictures of adorable cats he is searching through at the moment do not match what is lounging in Wanda's arms.

Steve purses his lips at the sight. “One night, Maximoff.”

 

But that statement soon changes to “Get it out of here, Maximoff!”

Currently the cat, which Wanda calls Greebo, has Clint cornered in the kitchen, meowing in a casual yet threatening way as he stalks his prey. “Guys can someone help me?!”

But everyone else (minus Vision and Wanda) are covered in scratches from prior run ins with the cat and unwilling to aid him. Vision is attempting to ascertain why this feline does not act in accordance with all the videos he is watching and why he feels as if he can read its emotions better than some of his teammates. For instance, right now he has little doubt the cat is supremely enjoying its night. Eventually Wanda speaks up, pointing her finger at what started the whole fiasco. “I think he wants your vest.”

Clint glares at Wanda, pulling the cream colored fur vest closer to his body. “I'm not taking it off, Laura gave it to me.”

“Listen,” Wanda shrugs her shoulders and sits at the counter, “it's either the vest or you try to run. I'm sure he just wants to lay on it.” As is the case in hostage situations, the rest of the room softly encourages him to part with the vest. Eventually Clint sighs and slips it off, running one, sad finger through the fur before throwing it several feet away. Greebo leaps into action immediately, a whirlwind of white and gray fur as he tussles with the vest.

“What the fu-”

“Language.”

Sam glares at Steve. “What the eff is it doing?”

“Precisely that." Vision answers while curiously watching the vigorous movements of fur punctuated by the exaggerated sobs of Clint. "I think he believes it to be another cat.”

 

Later that night, after Greebo grew tired of the vest and Wanda was forced to release the cat back outside, there is a soft knock on his door. Vision glides over and opens it. Without a word Wanda slips inside with a bag in her arms and closes the door. “Hey Vizh.” He opens his mouth to greet her but hesitates as she opens the bag and out walks a pissed off cat, hissing and meowing threateningly. “It's okay, you're safe now my wittle kitty.”

“Wanda?”

“Yeah?”

Vision is unsure how to proceed, he knows this is wrong but the pure joy on Wanda's face as she plays with the cat is a vise on his judgment. “Why is Greebo back?”

“Oh well,” red threads wrap around the cat to stop him from clawing her as she scratches his head. “I went back out to check and make sure he was okay, and he was just lying there looking so sad and helpless.” Her elevated heartbeat and dilated pupils suggest this is not the whole truth, but then she glances at him with hope springing from her wide eyes and the falsehood no longer matters. “I was wondering if you'd be willing to keep him here, since Steve is checking my room every hour.”

“I,” Vision watches as Greebo rips open the pillow on the bed, feathers rising up in chaotic arcs as he assaults the carcass that is left. But then there is a pressure on his hand and he glances down to see Wanda standing so close he can feel the edge of her dress on his leg, her hand gently holding his with a pleading look on her face. And he is putty in her hands. “Can do my best.”

Wanda emits a new sound, a small squeal of delight and then wraps her arms around him. “Thank you! I'll be back to check on you when I wake up and then we can switch off during the day.”

Once she leaves, after explaining to the cat how she will miss him and loves him and that he should be nice to his new friend, Vision cautiously sits on the bed.

They eye each other, Greebo pacing back and forth, hissing roughly every six seconds and Vision attempting to move as little as possible. “Um, hello.” For such a hulking mass of fur, the dexterity and gracefulness of his attack is awe inspiring as the cat launches itself at Vision’s face. Without hesitation, Vision becomes incorporeal and the cat lands on the other end of the bed.

“Meow?” Confusion is clearly a first time emotion for the cat and Vision feels mildly guilty until there is a hiss and a flying ball of fur again. The cat goes straight through him and this time simply sits and glares at Vision, analyzing what his next step should be. Slowly Greebo approaches him, purpose and curiosity gleaming in his one good eye. The cat sits next to Vision and lifts a paw up to touch his now normal density thigh, pads of the paw rising and separating to mold along the curve of his leg. Then, without any warning or hesitation, the claws come out and sink into his leg, luckily Vision makes himself denser fast enough to avoid the whole nail. The cat stares at him as if he is impressed by this new plaything.

“You are not going to succeed.”

“Meow.” Which Vision determines may mean “Watch me,” and he thinks he is beginning to understand why Wanda is so attached to this vicious sack of fur.

Their night continues on in that nature, Vision researching the historical views and superstitions of felines while adjusting his density in order to avoid being maimed by a very enthusiastic and determined Greebo. The most recent attempt involved a full force body slam into Vision’s denser than usual body. Upon contact the cat slid down into his lap, turned around three times, and then fell into a deep sleep with cavernous purrs rumbling from his chest.

 

Which is how Wanda finds them. “This may be the cutest thing I've ever seen.”

“Good morning, Wanda.”

She walks over and sits down next to him, hand reaching out to lightly pet the cat. “How'd it go?”

Vision glances down and shrugs. “Better than expected. Though if I were unable to alter my density it likely would have been a catastrophe.”

“Good, he really is just a big softie.”

Which are not quite the words Vision would use but it has become apparent that humans purposely overlook obvious faults when they claim to love something, particularly animals. “I have been researching the history of cats as a witch’s familiar.”

Wanda stares at him, one eyebrow raised higher than the other. “Yeah?”

“Well one of the most common methods of gaining a familiar is by the animal suddenly appearing for the witch and then staying as long as they are needed. Additionally, there is a lot of agreement that familiars were believed to be demons or other spirits.” Despite his steadfast disapproval of such illogical beliefs, something about Greebo defies Vision’s own rationale and throughout the night his mind warmed to the idea of some malevolent spirit residing in the cat.

“Are you saying I'm a witch with an evil cat that chose me?” Which is the implication but Vision feels she may be taking offense to it due to the way her arms cross around her chest and her lips tighten. Before he can clarify, the cat stirs in his lap, stretching with a lengthy yawn, looks up at him, and launches itself claws first at Vision’s face. Vision phases and Wanda laughs. “Fine, I see your point.”

They spend the rest of the day trading off who stays in his room to watch the cat, as they both agree he cannot be trusted alone. For the first time, Vision realizes how much time he typically spends with Wanda because the day drags by and he feels an odd emptiness knowing he will not run into her in the common area or at the training room. When night falls he insists that Wanda just sleep in his room with Greebo, and he resumes his nightly routine of wandering the compound.

 

It is three in the morning when Vision can sense a skulking presence in the darkness. He increases the density of his body just enough to protect against claws and then simply waits, shoulders tensing with each minute that ticks by. Greebo finally strikes at 3:15, and if Vision did not think superstition was factitious, he would have crossed himself at the sheer, unearthly force of the impact of the cat against his body. “Hello Greebo.”

“Meow.” The cat claws its way up his sweater until it is standing on his shoulders. Then, much to Vision’s confusion, the cat lays down, head resting on one shoulder, body curling around his neck, and the sorry excuse for a tail flapping back and forth, tickling Vision’s cheek.

Not long after the purrs of sleep begin to shake against his shoulders, Vision can sense Wanda approaching. Despite the late hour and the tiredness of her eyes, there is a grin on her face as she sits next to him on the couch. “You know, this is the Devil’s hour.”

“That explains a lot, actually.”

An amused chuckle precedes a gentle, yet affectionate kiss on his cheek, and then Wanda settles into his side, head on the available portion of his shoulder. “Thanks for all of your help.”

“Oh, you're welcome.” Unsure how exactly to respond to this new closeness between them, Vision simply enjoys the quiet of the compound, the husky purrs in his right auditory sensors and Wanda’s deepening breaths in his left sensors. He waits until she has fallen asleep to wrap his arm hesitantly around her shoulders, simply to hold her in place, or so his rational side argues.

A content purr pulls his mind back to the animal on his shoulders. Vision is not yet willing to admit that the cat is a big softie, but he is willing to concede that, especially with his cheek still tingling from where her lips touched, maybe the cat is not a fully malevolent demon.

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who does know of Greebo, I am 100% sure by the end of that week there is a "Coooee!" yelled out as Nanny and Granny save poor Mr. Puss-Puss from this strange new world.


End file.
